1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to an angular velocity sensor employed in a range of electronic apparatuses and an angular velocity sensor element used in the angular velocity sensor.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional angular velocity sensor element is described below with reference to FIG. 7. FIG. 7 is a side view of the conventional angular velocity sensor element.
The angular velocity sensor element includes two arms 1, a pair of supports 2, a pair of detectors 3, and a pair of support fixing parts 4. Arms 1 are parallel to each other. The pair of supports 2 is provided at both ends of two arms 1, respectively. Detectors 3 are coupled to supports 2, respectively. Support fixing parts 4 are coupled to detectors 3, respectively. Support fixing parts 4 are to be fixed onto a mounting board (not illustrated). (For example, see Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 2004-317380.)
Next is described the operation of the conventional angular velocity sensor element as configured above. When a drive signal is fed to the angular velocity sensor element from a drive circuit (not illustrated), two arms 1 vibrate in opposite directions along the X axis, as shown by the solid arrows, typically by the piezoelectric effect. Here, if an angular velocity is applied around one of the Y axis and the Z axis that are perpendicular to the X axis, the Coriolis force acts in a direction perpendicular to the driving vibration direction in a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis of the applied angular velocity. For example, if the angular velocity is applied around the Z axis, the Coriolis force acts in the Y-axis direction, as shown by the dashed arrows in FIG. 7. As a result, detected vibration corresponding to the direction of the Coriolis force is transmitted to detectors 3, and a piezoelectric film (not illustrated) provided in each of detectors 3 outputs the detected vibration in the form of an electric signal. A detecting circuit (not illustrated) detects an angular velocity signal based on this electric signal.